Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery is very pleased to announce that Keri Fisher has been selected as one of the four winning artists of the gallery’s recent 19th “Solo Art Series” Art Competition. Keri will now have a month-long solo art exhibition and she will be featured on the gallery’s front page, on the Gallery’s YouTube Channel, as well as in the “Solo Art Series” archive.
Keri is an award-winning artist based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. She will now be promoted by the gallery with an extensive public relations campaign.
For this solo exhibition, the gallery will distribute, promote and circulate press releases to over 550+ major News Outlets, including Premium FOX, CBS, and NBC Affiliated Sites, with guaranteed inclusion on Google News & Bing News. The Gallery will also provide social media distribution through LST gallery’s broad social media network.
In addition, as part of her award package, Keri will now be featured as a Light Space & Time – Artwork Archive promoted artist.
Keri’s art will also be featured on the gallery’s YouTube Channel and with an event postcard.
The “Solo Art Series” is a series of monthly solo art exhibitions for established artists who have a body of work to present to the public. Artist participants were asked to submit the following 3 components for the “Solo Art Series” competition: 1. Their art. 2. Their artist biography. 3. Their artist statement. These elements were evaluated and judged, which resulted in the selection of the artists who will be featured in individual month-long solo art exhibitions. This was the 19th “Solo Art Series” Art Competition that the gallery has conducted.
Below is Keri’s Artist Biography, her Artist Statement, along with 10 of her images. We hope that you will take the time to read Keri’s information and to take a look at her artwork.
Artist Biography
Keri Fisher is a realism artist who currently resides near Ottawa, Ontario. Born and raised in the expansive plains of southwest Saskatchewan, at a young age she took a great interest in science, art and nature, often dreaming of being able to see the wildlife she only read about in books. Her love of nature and science took her to complete both a Bachelor of Science degree majoring in both Biology and Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, and a Master of Science degree in geology.
While living in Delaware, USA, she picked up photography as a hobby and began photographing the native wildlife. This hobby expanded into her travels and she was able to photograph wildlife all over the world, which has served as inspiration for her work. Working with pastels and acrylic paint, her passion is to convey the awe and connection she has experienced with the subject animal to the viewer.
Fisher’s artwork has been accepted into juried exhibitions of the Society of Canadian Artists and the International Guild of Realism. She was honoured to receive the award for “Best Wildlife and Animal” category for the IGOR 2021 Spring Salon Exhibition. Additionally, several of her wildlife photographs have been published in various issues of Canadian Geographic magazine.
Artist Statement
All too often people get caught up in their own lives and forget about the natural world we live in. I paint with pastels, coloured pencils and acrylic paints to capture the emotions and complete sense of awe I experience when connecting with wildlife. My goal is to express and share that brief encounter which moved me so profoundly. Highlighting the beauty of each animal I paint, from the incredibly intimidating massive rhino to the commonly overlooked backyard squirrel, reminds us to look around at the nature that surrounds us.
Keri’s website is www.kerifisherart.com.
The Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery is pleased to announce the winning artists of the gallery’s recent 19th Solo Art Series Art Competition.
The Solo Art Series competition closed on September 5, 2021. 12 artists were selected as finalists. From that selection, 4 artists were chosen to have individual month-long solo art exhibitions. The remaining 8 artists were awarded Artist Showcase features.
The Solo Art Series took place within an extremely competitive atmosphere. The task of selecting only four artists from the 79 artists who entered was extremely challenging. The high quality of submissions made creating the final rankings extraordinarily difficult.
The competitive process considered not only the quality and depth of the artist’s work but also the overall entry presentation, including the artist’s biography and artist’s statement. The following are the 4 winning Solo Series Artists and the schedule of their solo art exhibitions.
Solo Art Exhibition Schedule
| Keri Fisher | Sept. 15, 2021 to Oct. 14, 2021 | |
| Linda Lewis | Oct. 15, 2021, to Nov. 14, 2021 | |
| Jyl Blackwell | Nov. 15, 2021, to Dec. 14, 2021 | |
| Maureen Ravnik | Dec. 15, 2021, to Jan. 14, 2022 |
As part of the selection process, the other 8 artists who were in the top 12 have been awarded an Artist Showcase feature. The artists who were selected for the Artist Showcase features (with one Artist Showcase being be posted every 2 weeks beginning on September 15th are:
Artist Showcase Artists
| Julien van Middendorp | Sept. 15, 2021 to Sept. 30, 2021 | |
| Livia Doina Stanciu | Oct. 1, 2021 to Oct. 14, 2021 | |
| Caryn Coville | Oct. 15, 2021 to Oct. 31, 2021 | |
| Nathan Cole | Nov. 1, 2021 to Nov. 14, 2021 | |
| Eduin Fraga | Nov. 15, 2021 to Nov. 30, 2021 | |
| Suzie Sullivan | Dec. 1, 2021 to Dec. 14, 2021 | |
| Heidi Dehncke | Dec. 15, 2021 to Dec. 31, 2021 | |
| BeeHoon Lim | Jan. 1, 2022 to Jan. 14, 2022 |
Out of the 79 artists who submitted to this Solo Art Series art competition, 27 were eliminated due to deficiencies in their Biography, Artist’s Statement or with their art. From the 52 artists who were left, 31 artists were then selected as finalists. 12 artists were selected from the 31 final artists and any of the finalists could have been included in the final 12.
For each solo art exhibition, the gallery will distribute, promote and circulate press releases to over 550+ major News Outlets, Premium FOX, CBS, NBC, Affiliated Sites, with guaranteed inclusion on Google News & Bing News, and social media distribution through LST gallery’s broad social media network.
Each of the 8 Artist Showcase feature artists will be promoted to over 350+ News Outlets with guaranteed inclusion on Google News & Bing News.
Winning artists will have their art exhibition results posted and promoted on ArtWeek/ArtJobs. Artweek produces 800,000-page impressions per month, 280,000 website visitors per month and has 30,000 newsletter subscribers.
Winning artists will also have their art exhibition results posted and promoted on Art.Base.co. Art.Base produces 100,000 page views per month, 35,000 monthly unique visitors and has 10,000+ newsletter subscribers.
In addition to the above, the winning solo artists receive a YouTube Video presentation of their Body of Work, Event Postcard and a Press Release for their art portfolio. There will also be links back to the artists’ website as part of this achievement package.
Here is a link to the gallery's Solo Art Series Archives. The gallery’s next Solo Art Series competition will be held in December 2021.
Thank you for everyone's participation and interest in our Solo Art Series.
Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery is very pleased to announce that Amaris Shi has been selected as one of the four winning artists of the gallery’s recent 18th “Solo Art Series” Art Competition. Amaris will now have a month-long solo art exhibition, be featured on the gallery’s front page, in the Gallery’s YouTube Channel, as well as in the “Solo Art Series” archive.
Amaris is an award-winning artist based in Texas, USA. She will now be promoted by the gallery with an extensive public relations campaign.
For this solo exhibition, the Gallery will distribute, promote and circulate press releases to over 550+ major News Outlets, including Premium FOX, CBS, and NBC Affiliated Sites, with guaranteed inclusion on Google News & Bing News. The Gallery will also provide social media distribution through LST gallery’s broad social media network.
In addition, as part of her award package, Amaris will now be featured as a Light Space & Time – Artwork Archive promoted artist.
Amaris’s art will also be featured on the gallery’s YouTube Channel and with an event postcard.
The “Solo Art Series” is a series of monthly solo art exhibitions for established artists who have a body of work to present to the public. Artist participants were asked to submit the following 3 components for the “Solo Art Series” competition: 1. Their art. 2. Their artist biography. 3. Their artist statement. These elements were evaluated and judged, which resulted in the selection of the artists who will be featured in individual month-long solo art exhibitions. This was the 18th “Solo Art Series” Art Competition that the gallery has conducted.
Below are Amaris’s Artist Biography, her Artist Statement, along with 15 of her paintings. We hope that you will take the time to read Amaris’ information and to take a look at her art.
Artist Biography:
Amaris Shi is a student from Texas and has been an active exhibiting artist for almost 10 years. During that time, she has worked through a variety of professional media. In addition to her colored drawings, she also has a variety of oil paintings, acrylic paintings, pastel drawings, and graphite drawings. She maintains an active international exhibiting career and continues to discover new forms of expression, whether it be through ideas or medium. Amaris has won over 40 creative & professional awards for her work, which is represented in the United States Congress, Art and Film Festivals, museums and galleries, as well as the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Auction. She also looks forward to improving her skills in photo manipulation and digital painting. No matter which medium she uses, Amaris strives to make sure each piece can leave a lasting impact.
Artist Statement:
My work reflects the subconscious mind; the wants, the needs, and the views of the individual are all present. The double exposure and arrangement of the composition are the primary methods used to establish the symbolism in each piece. The portrait, initially strictly realism, attains an abstract element when layered with another image. The result is a see-through effect, as if gazing into the mind of the individual.
I found myself drawn to this idea when I thought about the people in this world, nearby and faraway. Each individual has a unique story and unique circumstances. I drew inspiration from tales of people in different walks of life and different ages, including myself. Through my work, the viewer can experience the emotions of each individual, as if being transported to their world for a moment in time.
Amaris can be reached via her email.
Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery is very pleased to announce that Linda Garcia-Dahle has been selected as one of the four winning artists of the gallery’s recent 18th “Solo Art Series” Art Competition. Linda will now have a month-long solo art exhibition and she will be featured on the gallery’s front page, in the Gallery’s YouTube Channel, as well as in the “Solo Art Series” archive.
Linda is an award-winning artist based in California, USA. She will now be promoted by the gallery with an extensive public relations campaign.
For this solo exhibition, the Gallery will distribute, promote and circulate press releases to over 550+ major News Outlets, including Premium FOX, CBS, and NBC Affiliated Sites, with guaranteed inclusion on Google News & Bing News. The Gallery will also provide social media distribution through LST gallery’s broad social media network.
In addition, as part of her award package, Linda will now be featured as a Light Space & Time – Artwork Archive promoted artist.
Linda’s art will also be featured on the gallery’s YouTube Channel and with an event postcard.
The “Solo Art Series” is a series of monthly solo art exhibitions for established artists who have a body of work to present to the public. Artist participants were asked to submit the following 3 components for the “Solo Art Series” competition: 1. Their art. 2. Their artist biography. 3. Their artist statement. These elements were evaluated and judged, which resulted in the selection of the artists who will be featured in individual month-long solo art exhibitions. This was the 18th “Solo Art Series” Art Competition that the gallery has conducted.
Below are Linda’s Artist Biography, her Artist Statement, along with 14 of her paintings. We hope that you will take the time to read Linda’s information and to take a look at her artwork.
Artist Biography:
Linda Garcia-Dahle, a California native, is following in the footsteps of her father and grandfather. Her grandfather was an active trompe l'oeil muralist in Los Angeles in the early part of the 20th century. Her father, when not working to provide for a large family, became an amateur photographer. Both of their passion and love for art was fully instilled into Linda from a young age. One of her favorite memories is sitting with the both of them in her family's patio listening to them discuss the best way to work on a painting's perspective.
Linda earned a Bachelor of Arts from the California State University at Long Beach, where she found herself influenced by the artists of the Impressionist, Realist and Hudson River School of Arts, who placed emphasis on light and the emotions it can invoke in a painting. It is this love of capturing light and its interplay with shadow and color on a canvas to create a mood that drives her work in oil painting. To achieve this elusive light/shadow effect, Linda has continually worked on perfecting her oil painting glazing technique to great success.
Her artwork has won numerous awards over the years; the most recent being the Juror's Choice award from the Maryland Federation of Art "Shadow and Light" exhibit. In 2019, she had the honor of being invited by the Sam and Alfreda Maloof Foundation in association with the Smithsonian Institute to participate in their "Preserving Creative Spaces exhibit", which featured photos of notable artists from across America in their homes or studios, along with photos of regional artists. She has had a painting acquired for permanent display at the Pacific Grove Natural History Museum for their Bird Gallery and two paintings acquired by the Sasse Museum of Art for inclusion in its collection of artwork by Southern California artists.
In the past, Linda has sat on the Sasse Museum of Art Board of Directors, and currently sits on the Board of Directors for the Pomona Valley Art Association. Linda is a member of the Pomona Valley Art Association, the IE Plein Air Painters Society and the International Guild of Realism.
Artist Statement:
I love painting light in all its manifestations on a canvas. The way a deep gazing of oil color produces a depth to shadows and the light falling through them that is not easily attained through other methods. I enjoy the challenge of producing color, shadow and light in their transient states when painting. I try and instill this in scenes from nature, but also areas personal to me that imbue a sense of serenity, shelter, a hideaway or a quiet place. I strive to duplicate all this in the play of light and the emotion I feel when observing it, to capture a mood as it were, and then be able to share it with the viewer. Painting is a form of sharing a part of myself with others.
Linda’s website is www.lindagarciadahle.com.
Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery is very pleased to announce that Cher Pruys has been selected as one of the four winning artists of the gallery’s recent 18th “Solo Art Series” Art Competition. Cher will now have a month-long solo art exhibition and she will be featured on the gallery’s front page, in the Gallery’s YouTube Channel, as well as in the “Solo Art Series” archive.
Cher Pruys is an award-winning artist based in the Devlin, Canada. She will now be promoted by the gallery with an extensive public relations campaign.
For this solo exhibition, the Gallery will distribute, promote and circulate press releases to over 550+ major News Outlets, including Premium FOX, CBS, and NBC Affiliated Sites, with guaranteed inclusion on Google News & Bing News. The Gallery will also provide social media distribution through LST gallery’s broad social media network.
In addition, as part of her award package, Cher will now be featured as a Light Space & Time – Artwork Archive promoted artist.
Cher’s art will also be featured on the gallery’s YouTube Channel and with an event postcard.
The “Solo Art Series” is a series of monthly solo art exhibitions for established artists who have a body of work to present to the public. Artist participants were asked to submit the following 3 components for the “Solo Art Series” competition: 1. Their art. 2. Their artist biography. 3. Their artist statement. These elements were evaluated and judged, which resulted in the selection of the artists who will be featured in individual month-long solo art exhibitions. This was the 18th “Solo Art Series” Art Competition that the gallery has conducted.
Below are Cher’s Artist Biography, her Artist Statement, along with 25 of her paintings. We hope that you will take the time to read Cher’s information and to take a look at her hyperrealistic artwork.
Artist Biography:
Cher Pruys was born in Regina. Over the years she lived in many places including Saskatoon, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, Fort Frances, settling into her present home in Devlin, on the banks of the Rainy River with her husband Mark, 4 dogs and 2 cats.
By age three, Cher was seldom found without a drawing tool in hand. She worked in pencil, charcoal and ink over the years, until she picked up a paintbrush at the age of 35. Beginning with oil paints, she found her chosen mediums in acrylic, watercolor and gouache.
Although self-taught, her dedication and talent has seen her work juried into 143 International exhibits, as well as exhibits in numerous non-juried shows. She has won 129 awards for her work at the International Juried Exhibits. Her work has graced the covers of 3 books, 21 magazines, and has-been featured in over 93 international publications. Cher's works have found a permanent home in private and public collections worldwide.
Cher's artistic style can be described as Realism with a hint of Abstract in her latest works.
Artist Statement:
"To take my inner visions with my hands and create a work of art for you the viewer .... That is the ultimate in self-expression."
Painting allows me to find the soul of my subject, and to manipulate reality by creating an illusionistic depth, filled with visual, spiritual and cultural flavours as I see fit, all on a flattened surface with a 3 dimensional look. My paintings of children, speak to me of the pure, clean, unbiased outlook of childhood, before the journey through life puts its hooks into us and takes the magic away…painting makes it possible for me to recapture that magic, and to express my innermost feelings in a nonverbal way. It is my lifeline, my motivation and my reason for being.
Cher’s website is www.artbycher.ca.
Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery is very pleased to announce that Bobbie Crews has been selected as one of the four winning artists of the gallery’s recent 14th “Solo Art Series” Art Competition. Bobbie will now have a month-long solo art exhibition and she will be featured on the gallery’s front page, in the Gallery’s YouTube Channel, as well as in the “Solo Art Series” archive.
Bobbie is an award-winning artist based in Tennessee, USA. Bobbie will now be promoted by the gallery with an extensive public relations campaign.
For this solo exhibition, the Gallery will distribute, promote and circulate press releases to over 550+ major News Outlets, including Premium FOX, CBS, and NBC Affiliated Sites, with guaranteed inclusion on Google News & Bing News. The Gallery will also provide social media distribution through LST gallery’s broad social media network.
In addition, as part of her award package, Bobbie will now be featured as a Light Space & Time – Artwork Archive promoted artist.
Bobbie’s art will also be featured on the gallery’s YouTube Channel and with an event postcard.
The “Solo Art Series” is a series of monthly solo art exhibitions for established artists who have a body of work to present to the public. Artist participants were asked to submit the following 3 components for the “Solo Art Series” competition: 1. Their art. 2. Their artist biography. 3. Their artist statement. These elements were evaluated and judged, which resulted in the selection of the artists who will be featured in individual month-long solo art exhibitions. This was the 12th “Solo Art Series” Art Competition that the gallery has conducted.
Below is Bobbie’s Artist Biography, her Artist Statement, along with 25 of her images. We hope that you will take the time to read Bobbie’s information and to take a look at her "Intimate Portraits of Automobiles" series of artwork.
Artist Biography:
Crews was born and raised in NW Ohio; lived for several years in Alaska, Germany and Kentucky; and shorter periods in North Carolina, Arizona, Alabama and Georgia. Knoxville, Tennessee is her current home of 30 years.
Her art has been inspired by connections to people and their experiences. Interpretations may be literal or abstract. Automotive art and design also serve as a metaphor for those connections. Working in many mediums, her current favorite is oil painting. She achieves great luminosity in her automotive painting by working in layers until the subject comes alive.
Crews’ work has been exhibited in many group exhibitions and Concours d’Elegance automotive shows. Her work for domestic violence is on permanent exhibit at the Knoxville Family Justice Center. Important exhibitions include the Alice Sabatini Gallery of Art in Topeka, KS, Dow Museum of Science and Art in Midland, MI, the George Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art in Biloxi, MS, and the Coutts Museum of Art in El Dorado, KS. She's been featured in two PBS documentaries, and several print publications.
She is an exhibiting member of the Oil Painters of America, the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Knoxville and the Portrait Society of America. Crews was a self-taught artist earning her BFA in 2007. Her custom paintings are in private collections nationally and internationally.
Artist Statement:
The connections/energy we experience in each other and the world around us are echoed in my work. Light and color shimmer and bounce off the surfaces of chrome and painted metal in the reflections I choose to incorporate in my intimate paintings of automobiles. Realism becomes abstraction becomes realism. Machine becomes human becomes machine again. Where does it all start and where does it all end?
My work is influenced by John Singer Sargent and Andrew Wyeth among others, and my love for all things “Art Deco and Art Nouveau”. Oil painting is my current favorite medium and I layer it many times over in order to achieve the depth and luminosity that brings my work to life, much like painting a portrait of a person.
Bobbie’s website is: www.bobbiecrews.com
Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery is very pleased to announce that Maureen Ravnik has been selected as one of the four solo artists of the gallery’s recent 11th “Solo Art Series” Art Competition. Maureen will now have a month-long solo art exhibition and she will be featured on the gallery’s front page, in the Gallery’s YouTube Channel, as well as in the “Solo Art Series” archive.
Maureen is a Colorado based photographer. After a long career in sales and marketing, Maureen now spends most of her time outdoors taking in and capturing the scenery and wildlife of the American West. Maureen will now be promoted by the gallery with an extensive public relations campaign.
This solo exhibition will distribute, promote and circulate press releases to over 550+ major News Outlets, Premium FOX, CBS, NBC, Affiliated Sites, Guaranteed inclusion on Google News & Bing News and social media distribution through LST gallery’s broad social media network.
In addition, as part of her award package, Maureen will now be featured as a Light Space & Time – Artwork Archive promoted artist.
Maureen’s art will also be featured on the gallery’s YouTube Channel and with an event postcard.
The “Solo Art Series” is a series of monthly solo art exhibitions for established artists who have a body of work to present to the public. Artist participants were asked to submit the following 3 components for the “Solo Art Series” competition: 1. Their art. 2. Their artist biography. 3. Their artist statement. These elements were evaluated and judged, which resulted in the selection of the artists who will be featured in individual month-long solo art exhibitions. This was the 11th “Solo Art Series” Art Competition that the gallery has conducted.
Below is Maureen’s Artist Biography, her Artist Statement, along with 10 of her “Abandoned - The Series” photographs.
Artist Biography:
Maureen Ravnik was born and raised in Minnesota. A brief visit to Colorado sold her on attending college there to pursue a career in sales & marketing. She stayed and never looked back. Working and traveling a lot in that discipline opened her eyes to the wonders of the American west and reawakened childhood tendencies to creatively document her discoveries. She began making images of the American west in hopes of preserving the history, the culture, and the dreams that shaped the west.
Today, Maureen’s time is spent outdoors taking in and capturing the scenery, wildlife, and exploring other methods for interpreting and sharing what she sees and experiences along the way. Maureen has accomplished many things with her photography including images placed in the Audubon International Top 250, local, national and international juried photography exhibitions, winning placements in monthly club competitions, state park calendars, images selected for use by the City of Littleton, and many images selected as editor picks on National Geographic and for publication. Her work has been the subject of several newspapers. She was listed by LightSpaceTime.art as one of the top ten photographers to watch for in 2018. She has co-authored 2 books that document the history, beauty and environment of the second largest natural area in the country.
Artist Statement:
Maureen is an emerging talent whose methods and techniques are largely self-taught. Maureen’s inspiration is derived mostly from her environment. She explores the work of peers and connects on social media mainly to further explore processing techniques and stay on top of new developments in software and camera technology. Some of her work is strictly an in-camera capture. Some of it involves taking the file from the camera and into the computer to develop composites or several interpretations of the same scene. This helps to keep her eyes open to the many possibilities for how our world can be observed and interpreted.
Abandoned – The Series
My purpose in making images of abandonment in the American west rests in my hopes of preserving and sharing the history, the culture, and the dreams that shaped the west. Connecting with abandonment can be as daunting as it is interesting. Stories don't come easy and they resonate with me on many levels of emotion. I make my images by trying to convey what abandonment may have felt like to those whose dreams were shattered. It is also a documentary on the idea that abandonment affects all levels of society whether it be personal or commercial. I hope my viewers will experience and connect with that feeling much like I did.
Maureen’s website is www.maureenravnik.crevado.com.
Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery is very pleased to announce that Phyllis Mantik deQuevedo has been selected as one of the four artists of the gallery’s recent 11th “Solo Art Series” Art Competition. Phyllis will now have a month-long solo art exhibition and she will be featured on the gallery’s front page, in the Gallery’s YouTube Channel, as well as in the “Solo Art Series” archive.
Phyllis is an Oklahoma City, Oklahoma based sculptor. She works primarily in bronze and she chooses figurative and botanical subjects because of the fluidity of motion and range of expression. Phyllis will now be promoted by the gallery with an extensive public relations campaign.
This solo exhibition will distribute, promote and circulate press releases to over 550+ major News Outlets, Premium FOX, CBS, NBC, Affiliated Sites, Guaranteed inclusion on Google News & Bing News and social media distribution through LST gallery’s broad social media network.
In addition, as part of her award package, Phyllis will now be featured as a Light Space & Time – Artwork Archive promoted artist.
Phyllis’ art will also be featured on the gallery’s YouTube Channel and with an event postcard.
The “Solo Art Series” is a series of monthly solo art exhibitions for established artists who have a body of work to present to the public. Artist participants were asked to submit the following 3 components for the “Solo Art Series” competition: 1. Their art. 2. Their artist biography. 3. Their artist statement. These elements were evaluated and judged, which resulted in the selection of the artists who will be featured in individual month-long solo art exhibitions. This was the 11th “Solo Art Series” Art Competition that the gallery has conducted.
Below is Phyllis’ Artist Biography, her Artist Statement, along with 15 of her bronze sculptures.
Artist Biography:
The youngest of three girls, Phyllis Mantik deQuevedo was born in the small town of Wainright, Alberta, Canada. Her earliest memories are farm life and learning to skate on the neighborhood rink in their back yard. As she recalls, “We made most of the cold Canadian winters, but at the first signs of spring we would head out to the fields to collect crocuses as they poked their heads out from under the mounds of snow.” Phyllis spent endless hours lost in creative interests of sewing, crocheting and handicrafts. Other favorite activities revolved around the enjoyment of music, playing piano and singing in the choir. Farm life was hard though and did not offer future opportunities for her parents.
When Phyllis was six, the family moved to Edmonton. Her mother cleaned houses and her father worked as a carpenter. “My dad was creative in his own way; had he been given the opportunity he might have been an engineer or architect. He had a gift for numbers, and it seemed to me he could build anything,” she says, remembering the gift of a drawing table in Art College. “He was detail oriented and a fine craftsman.” The family moved frequently, if not far. In the 9th grade, Phyllis started another new school, and one that didn’t have a band class. So, she traded in music class for a sketchbook and pencils. It was a year of discovery as she experimented with drawing, painting, clay and welded metal. At year-end, her teacher encouraged her entry into a citywide contest. The prize of a bursary went towards further art education.
At 15, she attended an evening life-drawing class at the University of Alberta. “I’m appreciative of a teacher who worked with me, saw a talent and nurtured it,” she says. Preparing herself through high school, she determined to go to Art College. Phyllis graduated with a major in Visual Communications from the Alberta College of Art and Design (ACAD) in Calgary, Alberta. She moved to Oklahoma when she accepted a position as a Graphic Designer in Tulsa. Ten years into her professional art career, then living in Oklahoma City, Phyllis received her introduction to sculpture while working as an Art Director at a Public TV Network. She describes her fascination watching a sculptor on TV, “His portrait of the host was honest and exciting, and I loved the imprints he left in the clay.” She considered classes but they were costly and would have to wait. As good fortune would have it, within weeks, the sculptor approached the television network where Phyllis worked with an idea for a How to Sculpture Show. She was invited to take a series of classes and write the show proposal.
She quickly became enamored with clay and all its possibilities. “I had experimented with every kind of painting media, fabric arts and crafting, but soon every other type of media was set aside as I focused on becoming a sculptor.” Starting with fired clay and eventually moving to oil-based clay, she cast her first piece in bronze. “Since that time, I’ve been fortunate to sell numerous small sculptures and receive commissions to produce monumental works of art for private clients, churches and cities.” Phyllis’ technique has evolved over the years, as have the materials recognizing that water-based clay was limiting in the type of detail she could obtain in complex figurative works. Studying the figure continuously, with a variety of professional sculptors she continued to refine her art. “It wasn’t until a trip to Hawaii that I became fixated with the idea of sculpting flowers.” Flowers are full of color and vitality giving her opportunity to explore patina in ways she hasn’t previously.
Struggling with a significant change in subject matter, and how it might be perceived to her collectors, but unable to let it go, she settled upon the idea of merging the two interests. Phyllis deQuevedo chooses figurative and botanical subjects because of the fluidity of motion and range of expression. Her series, which focuses on figurative interpretations inspired by botanical shapes and human metaphors, is titled “Metaflors.” She cites many influences, but remembers most that of her mentor and friend Rosalind Cook. “She generously shared her knowledge, encouraging me to greater things. I left every encounter with her more inspired.” She also notes the work of artists such as Vala Ola and Richard MacDonald for their excellence in figurative anatomy and sensitivity. In studying other botanical sculptures, she came across the work of Stephen Robin. His sculptures have a bold and unexpected simplicity compared to what are typically delicate, fussy and highly detailed forms. “While his influence may not be directly evident in my own work, the realization of other possibilities of subject matter helped me to examine a new direction.”
Her first major art commission resulted from a call for entries for the Boston Avenue Methodist Church in Tulsa, OK. This beautiful church, on the National Registry of Historical Buildings, is recognized for its Art Deco ornamentation. Phyllis created a pair of 16-foot bas-relief panels for the church columbarium and a second monumental sculpture for the park adjacent to the church building. Other major works include a larger than life sculpture of Oklahoma writer and historian Angie Debo, for the Stillwater Oklahoma Public Library.
Phyllis and her husband Steve live in Oklahoma City where she maintains an in-home studio. Together, they enjoy traveling, which she feels gives her a deeper connection to the world around her. They take immense pleasure in the garden and the lessons learned from maintaining it throughout the year. Phyllis has been featured in several Oklahoma publications along with her monumental commissions. She is a 20-year member of the Oklahoma Sculpture Society (OSS) and a Master Member of Women Artists of the West (WAOW). She is an Associate Member of Women Artists of the West (AWA) and the National Sculpture Society (NSS). Phyllis is represented by Xanadu Gallery in Scottsdale, AZ.
Artist Statement:
I have always been fascinated with the inner being and the hidden forces that propel us through life. There is a story there and I am drawn to create art to tell that story. We are so much more than just skin and bones and our mirrored image; we are complex organisms full of emotion and intellect. We move, breathe, grow and change with time and in relation to our environment. In the scope of time, our presence is fleeting but each of us leaves an imprint of having been. It is this understanding that inspires me to sculpt human and botanical forms. Both subjects contribute a color and vibrancy and I am moved to capture and share those brief moments while I may.
I’m often asked about the process of creating a sculpture. Every sculpture goes through an awkward stage. There is an excitement and energy as I begin and a restlessness as it nears completion. But somewhere in the middle, I wrestle with an armature that isn’t working, anatomy that doesn’t feel natural or a composition that doesn’t flow. Experience tells me I must be brutal enough to fix it or honest enough to set it aside. Then there are those times when I am rewarded in a breakthrough moment in which a sculpture becomes more than I ever anticipated. This is what excites me to continue to hone my skills and push my personal boundaries.
My current work explores storytelling through metaphor. Instead of trying to sculpt figures and petals, whether realistic or abstract, I strive to sculpt what it feels like to be human and to convey the unspoken. The reward is in knowing that others can relate to them from their own human experiences. Phyllis can be reached via her email.
Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery is very pleased to announce that Mark Lennon has been selected as one of the four artists of the gallery’s recent 11th “Solo Art Series” Art Competition. Mark will now have a month-long solo art exhibition and he will be featured on the gallery’s front page, in the Gallery’s YouTube Channel, as well as in the “Solo Art Series” archive.
Mark is a New Hampshire based photographer and environmentalist. His photography cannot be separated from this passion. He is a photographer of the natural environment. Mark will now be promoted by the gallery with an extensive public relations campaign.
This solo exhibition will distribute, promote and circulate press releases to over 550+ major News Outlets, Premium FOX, CBS, NBC, Affiliated Sites, Guaranteed inclusion on Google News & Bing News and social media distribution through LST gallery’s broad social media network.
In addition, as part of his award package, Mark will now be featured as a Light Space & Time – Artwork Archive promoted artist.
Mark’s art will also be featured on the gallery’s YouTube Channel and with an event postcard.
The “Solo Art Series” is a series of monthly solo art exhibitions for established artists who have a body of work to present to the public. Artist participants were asked to submit the following 3 components for the “Solo Art Series” competition: 1. Their art. 2. Their artist biography. 3. Their artist statement. These elements were evaluated and judged, which resulted in the selection of the artists who will be featured in individual month-long solo art exhibitions. This was the 11th “Solo Art Series” Art Competition that the gallery has conducted.
Below is Mark’s Artist Biography, his Artist Statement, along with 25 of his photographs.
Artist Biography:
Mark Lennon cut school when he was 13 years old to attend the first Earth Day. About the same time he made his first real purchase, a Mamiya-Sekor 500-DTL SLR. That’s all one really needs to know to understand Mark and his photography.
Mark is an environmentalist, first and foremost. He founded and manages a company that keeps usable furniture out of U.S. landfills by directing it to charities. He has been a consultant to the U.S. EPA and the head of recycling for the State of New Hampshire. He is currently restoring a 220 year-old barn on 30 acres of woods and fields that he has protected permanently from development.
Mark’s photography cannot be separated from this passion. He is a photographer of the natural environment. Describing his work, he says, “As a culture, we are losing contact with the natural world. It is all around us, but most of us don’t see it. It has faded into the background. I don’t really care if my photographs are beautiful. I do hope they are arresting, in the sense that viewers will pause and say ‘Wow, that’s out there?’ And perhaps, after that, they will be a little more open to seeing and appreciating the crazy marvels in the natural world that are all around us, every day.”
Most of Mark’s photographs are taken from the forests, hills, ponds, and streams within a few miles of his home. He says, “My ideal is to slow down, let go, turn off the concerns of the day-to-day world, and let my eyes open to see the images that are always available, but normally unseen. On a good day I get into a space where the time and place and light come together with my own mood and make those images manifest. On a really good day good day I am fortunate to capture some small, small fraction of those images and take them home.”
Mark believes that a camera is exceptionally suited to his desire to capture images from the natural environment. For one thing, the photographically captured images are unmediated by any human hand. For another, the camera allows him to frame precisely the image that he finds of most interest. And of all artistic media only the camera is able to capture the fourth dimension of our world, that of time. Only a camera can freeze the motion of a breaking wave or an insect in flight. And only a camera can capture the flow of water or the rippling of foliage through a long interval.
Many of Mark’s images are about no more than light, shape, pattern, and color. He takes few pictures of objects like trees, or mountains, or animals, or church steeples. Many of his images are of events or circumstances that are ephemeral, or that don't really exist at all, like the pattern of light on water, shadows on snow, the curl of a wave. He is drawn to these because they are nothing more than light, pattern and color captured in a fragment of time. He says, “It’s a challenge to hunt for them, good fortune to find them, and great luck to capture them, because once they’re gone, they’re gone forever - you cannot come back and try again.”
Although he shoots in digital, Mark is a pure photographer. He does not use Photoshop or anything like it, which he considers inconsistent with his own interests in making photographs. He uses editing software only to enhance or dampen color, to tweak light and dark tones, to highlight what it was he saw that made him seek to capture the image in the first place.
The images presented here come from a single location – Grafton Pond in central New Hampshire. All were taken in late summer and early fall, when cool air draws clouds of vapor from the summer-warm water. All were taken in early morning, as the sun was starting to make its presence known through the rising mists. “It’s a special time,” says Lennon, “when the world is quiet and mysterious and the day has a million possibilities. Then the sun burns through, the mist burns off, and it’s just another day. But in that time there are magical images in the looming dark of the shoreline and the gray calm of the mist and the brilliant light of the sun pushing its way through.”
Mark has had recent solo exhibitions at the AVA Gallery (Lebanon, NH) and the Markeim Arts Center (Haddonfield, NJ), and his photographs have been selected for numerous juried exhibitions in New England. “In the end,” he says, “my photographs always come back to the images. I take great pleasure in discovering images that I find arresting, beautiful, striking, evocative, out in the natural world, and capturing them, and bringing them home to be enjoyed and shared. And, hopefully, to have something to say.”
Artist Statement:
Incredible, weird, crazy, beautiful images are all around us – so much amazing art. What I love is to get out into the woods and fields and lakes and mountains and get into a space where my eyes open to see all the great art that is there for the seeing. And on a good day, to capture some small part of it and make it accessible in a way I can take home. That can be done with photographs, and with no other art form.
I have always loved the idea of a camera and a photograph. They're a huge challenge because we move in a world of three dimensions plus time. A photograph squeezes them into two. Losing two dimensions, you're creating an image of something that doesn't really exist. At the same time, our own eyes are limited in interpreting that fourth dimension of time. We can neither hold an image of things that are moving very fast, nor stretch that fourth dimension to capture the pattern and flow of things that are moving through time. A camera can do both. What a great tool for making art.
Many of my images are about shape and pattern and color and light. Many are about events that are ephemeral, or that don't really exist at all, like the pattern of light on the surface of water, shadows on the snow, the curl of a wave. I think I gravitate to these because they are nothing more than shape, pattern and color captured in a moment of time. It’s a challenge to capture them, and satisfying when I do, because once they’re gone, they’re gone forever.
Finally, and not least, I am an environmentalist. As a culture, we are losing contact with the natural world. It is all around us, but most of us don’t see it. It has faded into the background. I don’t really care if my images are beautiful. I do hope they are arresting, in the sense that they will get viewers to stop and say “Wow, that’s OUT there?” And perhaps, when they walk away, to be a little more open to seeing and discovering themselves the mystery and wonder in the natural world that is all around us, every day, every second.
I am not, however, a technician. I do not spend hours editing. I do not use Photoshop or anything like it - they're unconnected to my interest in photography. I use simple editing software to tweak light and dark tones, to highlight whatever it was I saw that made me want to capture the image in the first place.
In the end, my photographs always come back to the images. I simply love to discover images that I find arresting, beautiful, interesting, striking, evocative, out in the natural world, and take their picture, and bring them home to be shared and enjoyed. And hopefully to have something to say.
Mark’s website is: www.marklennonimages.com
